Band of Autumn Twilight
by The Pirate Illusionist
Summary: A story about Unexpected Band Heroes. No one thought the would have become heroes. Not even themselves.
1. The Oldish Man

Rachel brushed an auburn lock of hair out of her grayish blue eyes as she started to wipe the counter down. Where were the others that helped her around here? She was starting to hate this job and she couldn't until she wait until she could get a new job. It had been a while since she had graduated high school, about six years or so. She wasn't sure anymore because of working here all her life and having to attend school around here. It had been at least three years since they moved the high school up into trees with all the rest of the buildings. They needed protection or something...she didn't remember what it was exactly that made them move up into treesafter all this time. She barely remembered who came in the day before for something to eat and drink. She didn'tneed to since it wasn't part of her job description but she did remember when her friends left her here in this stupid school.She sighed as she heard someone walking out towards her and she gave the man a quick glance. He was taller than her by five inches which met he was pretty short since she was only five feet and four inches. He wasn't fat but he had a rounded face and broad shoulders. She just liked to make fun of him and call him fatso. He usually would get ticked at her and dock some of her pay to make her stop which wasn't right but by the end of the night he added it back on. She could tell when he came every time by his heavy foot steps.

"What do you want Andy?" she asked the man who had to be a year younger than her. She didn't glance at him as she manuvered around the bar to clean tables.

"You staying extra shifts?"

"I guess but I do like to have time to rest," she said bitterly and looking up quickly from her work.

"Well, you're the best waitress we have here."

"I'm one of the few who doesn't have a life right now. I want to know why the school had to get an inn in it."

"For visitors. I thought I told you this before."

"You did. I just think it is stupid."

"And I think it is stupid that you still wear that clarinet around your waist."

"At least I don't have my baritone, okay? And so what if I have it? You have your drumsticks," she said with a sigh as she threw down her bar rag.

He muttered something and walked out of there quickly before her temper started. She liked the man but sometimes he got a little testy. He was like a little girl sometimes and still acted like he was in high school. She did like that he brought up old memories like the one trumpet player who had been tackled by the drumline. Good times they had back then in the marching band but all their friend had gone off and she was left behind. She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to hear someone cominwere many steps to climb. A knock resounded through the area and she opened the door to reveal a man standing there. She thought she had seen him somewhere before and she gave him a questioning look. They didn't open for an hour or so. He gave her a smile and she had to smile back.

"May I help you?" she asked, her manners taking over. She was glad she learned some manners after high school.

"Yes, I just want to sit down and prepare for a party that will be coming here," he replied.

"Party? What do you mean?"

"May I?" Even though the man asked, he went passed her and started to rearrange one of the tables. He didn't even ask to come in or answered her questions."It should be over here," he was muttering, pulling a table to the wall near the fire place. "These chairs should be here," he said, placing three chairs by the fire. "Not enough chairs," he added, placing three more chairs at the table.

Rachel stood back in a mixture of surprise and horror. Who did he think he was by rearranging the furniture? She couldn't stop him because she had to be nice in case that would make them lose customers. She would be fired for sure if that happened and Andy knew she was out here. She went over to the man as he sat down in a chair. Finally, he had finished and it actually looked pretty nice. She gave the man a smile as she leaned against the unlit fire place. She had to do that pretty soon so that it would be warm when night came.

"Do you need anything, sir?"

"No, no."

She turned away to get back to work. She thought she heard him speak again but she wasn't sure. It was soft and low like a whisper and she turned her head.

"Be ready, Rachel. Things are coming that you wouldn't imagine," she thought he said.

It was soft and she shook her head, thinking she imagined it. She turned away and headed back to the kitchen. She was going to have a long night ahead of her when the patrons came. She needed to get ready and rest a bit. She thought about telling Andy about what she heard but she thought against it. He wouldn't believe her at all if she did tell him.

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A/N: Okay, I decided to write the prologue to the story. It might be a little short. R&R! 


	2. Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Lance.

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It was a beautiful autumn day out and Ryan was leaning against a rock, warming himself. He had just travelled a long way and now he was home...well if he counted this place as home still.He saw the tree town and sighed witha smile came to his lips. It has been a long time...too long for him. He rearranged his trombone that was strapped to his back. It was his weapon and instrument and he loved it dearly. He thought he saw something move down the road and he was a little startled but then again, travelers were always on the road from here to Millersburg. "What could that be?"he muttered to himself as his hands reached for his trombone. You always had to be ready now-a-days. You couldn't trust anyone around here even if you had lived here before. A tall cloaked figure stood in front of him andRyan had his trombone out and ready for an attack. 

"Who goes there?" Ryan shouted even though the figure was right in front of him. The figure recoiled a little but soon straightened its figure.

"Is that how you greet a fellow band member?" the man said. He pushed down the cloak hood, revealing a man with a beard. He had a snare drum strapped to him instead of the quads Ryan knew well.

"Adam? You look so ugly with that beard," Ryan said.

"I went places that did not accept quad players,"he said, shrugging.

"Um...okay,"Ryan said as the bushes moved before he could say what he had been doing. He was a little confused at what Adam had been doing but he couldn't get the question off.

"Who's there?" Adam called out.

"'Tis all the dead spirits Ryan had outplayed," said a unnaturally high pitched voice.

Adam saw a glint of metal and his grin widened in reconition. Ryan groaned as he sheathed his trombone, knowing that he wouldn't be needing it anytime. He pushed himself off the rock and glared at the bushes.

"Cory Haas! Get your butt out here!" Ryan said as a person with a tenor sax strapped to his back and a trumpet strapped to his side stepped out.

"Hello guys!" Cory chirpped at the two and grinned as Ryan sent him a glare.

Adam knew it was better to head off instead of letting the two duke it out. "If we are going to meet our friends we better head..." Adam started as a group of color guard appeared.

"Search them and see if they have the blue crystal director's baton...er thing!" the leader shouted and she left in a matter of seconds without any other words.

Adam stared at her with a quizzical look as she withdrew but drew his drumsticks. Ryan drew his trombone and Cory drew his trumpet instead of the tenor sax. The guard gave a yell and ran toward them, brandishing their flags. Adam hit a note off of the snare and it sent a shock wave and killed one of the guards. He stabbed another with his drumstick. Ryan fended one off with his trombone as Cory hit another with his trumpet. It was a quick battle that was soon won and Ryan looked at his trombone in disgust.

"Guard blood. It always leaves a smell," he said, which cracked the other two up. He pulled out a cloth and wiped the blood off. "Stains too. Well, let's go or we'll be late." Even though he said that, all of them knew that they would probably be the earliest there.

They headed towards Line Mountain. It had been five years since Cory and Adam had been here,six for Ryan. Everything had changed since they all had left here and parted with her friends. They had now moved the school in the trees and now a settlement was there also. They started to climb the steps to the school. They went up, up, up, up, up, and up. By the time they were at the school, they were all panting.

"Stupid people had to put the school up so high," Ryan muttered as he put his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

They entered the school as people milled about every where. They walked into the cafeteria and saw it had been rearranged. They saw people they knew in the back and they headed back towards them. Thomas stood up and waved at them as they kept walking towards them. One of them was in a red robe with the hood pulled over his face.

"Adam! Ryan! Cory! Hey! Over here!" Thomas said.

"This isn't you Thomas, you are way too friendly," Cory said.

"I can be anyway I want. Now shut up!" he said.

Ryan looked over at the other. "Travis?" he asked.

"Yes it is me," he said in a whispery voice. He pulled down his hood and they gasped.

Ok, he was the same ashad beenbefore everyone seperated. Something seemed different about him though but no one could really but a finger on it. They looked at the trumpet at his side with shock and surprise.

"I-I..." Adam said.

"I told you I was going to be a full trumpeter. Now I am. You never believed me and you always put down my dreams. They decided I was netrual, if you want to know," he said bluntly as if he was talking to children.

Thomas looked away as if he didn't want to remember that fact. "Um...I'll get drinks."

Soon Thomas came back with someone and drinks. He had asked for sodas for the four of them and a water for Travis.They looked up at the girl he had brought back. She was tall for a woman but shorter than Thomas with a smile on her face. Her auburn hair fell down her back and her gray/blue eyes were filled with laughter.

"Guess who this is and I'll buy the round." he said.

Adam looked at her. "It's been awhile."

"She use to annoy me and she played clarinet and baritone," he said.

"Rachel! You're buying pal!" Ryan yelled.

"Hey! I gave you a clue!" Thomas shouted.

"Whoa, you changed," Adam said.

"Yeah I work here now. I'd like to go with you guys sometime," she said and they all shrugged. She ran and got her instruments and came back, taking that as a yes. She was hoping that was a yes since she wanted to leave this place for a while.

"Well now we must wait for the others. I hope they come soon," Cory said. "I'm so tired of waiting."

"Shut up," they all said in unision.

The door opened and they turned to see who it was. Curiousity took them all over because they wanted to know who it was. The door was shadowed from the fire and they couldn't see the tall figure standing in the doorway.

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A/N: Here is a list of who is who so you know and you aren't too confused. 

Tika: Rachel  
Otik: Andy (I know Otik was suppose to be older but I didn't know anyone that old to play him.)  
Tanis: Adam  
Flint: Ryan  
Tas: Cory  
Caramon: Thomas  
Raistlin: Travis

That is everyone who is introduced so far. I'll probably do this until everyone is introduced.


	3. Fight and Flight To Rachel's House

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Lance.**

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Adam looked over as the door swung open since he hadn't been looking with the others beforehand. Well, really, most everyone looked over or had been looking over at the time and Adam was the last one to look over. In came a man with a trombone strapped to his side and dressed in armor. Two people dressed in furs stood behind him. They looked foreign and the man had a bass drum strapped around him. The other was a woman. The man stood protectively in front of her as if to keep everyone away from them. She had a regular director's baton in her hand and a clarinet was strapped to her side. The trombone bearing man said something to them but it was hard to hear as everyone went back to their meals because they weren't interesting in the couple any more. The man tried to disagree with the armored man but the woman agreed, motioning to the man. The trombone bearing man walked over to the band geeks' table. 

"Kyle!" Rachel said cheerfully, reconizing their tall friend.

As Kyle greeted them, Adam's eyes went over to the couple. He couldn't help but stare at them but then he glanced away to his friends.

"Hey! Wait! When did we have a fireplace in here?" Cory yelled, just noticing the fireplace.

"We did remodling, dufus. You didn't notice that before?" Rachel said.

The couple sat in chairs by an older man who had motioned for them. They had sat down warily as if they didn't trust anyone around them and Adam didn't blame them. The man was telling stories to a younger boy who was looking up at him intently for more. The man looked familar but no one could place him. They all were brought out of staring when Rachel said something.

"Huh? I didn't hear what you were saying," Adam said.

"I said, a note came for you guys. Well, mostly for Adam. I almost forgot about it," she said, handing Adam a note.

He read it over to just get the main point of the message. "It's from Kristin...she can't make it."

"WHAT? No one breaks the band geeks' oath!" Thomas shouted.

"Calm down, youd idiot," Travis said and Thomas muttered something incoherent but Travis ignored him and continued. "Our half sister has her right not to be here. I wouldn't want to be here."

"What else did the note say?" Cory asked curiously.

"Nothing important," Adam muttered, his face going a shade of red.

The man, in the meantime, finished his story and the boy looked at him. He squirmed, not wanting to go home just yet.

"Tell me another story of the great band geeks!" the boy said, excited.

"Well, I think Ashley here can sing you a song," he said.

She looked at him perplexed and startled but she started to sing after a little persisting from the boy. It started out a little shaky and off key but soon everyone was hooked on the singing. It was about two people escaping and ending up somewhere else but the tune was catchy. This caused Courtney to stand up and yell.

"You are a liar! A witch!" she said, coming too close to the fire and her clothes caught on fire. She screamed as fire spread acrossed her clothing and she started to flail her arms. It was obvious that this girl was drunk.

The girl, Ashley, looked frightened and Cory jumped up to try to help. The older man handed him the baton. Cory touched Courtney with it and the fire went out!

"Look! He used magic, get him!" the man yelled.

"WHAT?" Cory shouted, looking at the man with a perplexed looked.

"Yeah and get his friends too!" Courtney said.

Adam jumped up as Rachel strapped on her instruments. "Is there a way out?"

"Yeah through the kitchen and down a rope," she said.

"Well through the kitchen!" he said. He ran up to the couple. "Please you must go with us."

"No!"the man said.

"Herby it might be the only way out," the girl, Ashley said. He nodded reluctantly and they followed to the back.

They all stopped in front of a wall, a dead end. Adam turned to Rachel as she stood there calmly.

"You told me there was a way out!" he said, angerily.

"There is," she said calmly, as she pulled out her clarinet. She played a C and then a G and then a E. She slid her clarinet back and a hatch swung open.

"Ok...that was never there," Thomas said.

"You have to know where to look," she said with a glitter in her eyes and a grin.

They heard someone outside the kitchen. "Hurry go! I'll stay here. Go to my house! You should know where it is!" she exclaimed quickly.

Adam nodded and Cory was already half way down the rope. Thomas looked at Travis and offered to help him down. Travis shook his head and took out his trumpet and played a little tune and jumped down the hatch. They all stared in horror as they thought of a flattened Travis. Instead they heard his voice coming from below.

"Are all you idiots going to stand up there and wait for them to come get you?" Travis snapped.

Thomas soon went down followed by Kyle and Ryan. Ashley, Herby, and Adam were about to go down. Ashley went to grab the rope to lower herself through the hole.

"I'll help you," Herby said.

"Ethan, you know I'm capable to go down myself," she said and then went down the hole.

Soon they were all standing there and Cory started off. Adam was puzzled where he was going because he had barely gone on the streets at night. Rachel's house was nearby and Cory had gone inside and Travis started a fire. Thomas was going through the cupboards for food after Adam entered.

"She barely has anything in here! She must not buy a lot," he complained.

He came up with 2 loaves of bread and half a pack of cheese. Adam shook his head and laughed. They heard something on the steps of house next to them. Cory went to peek at the window, followed by Ryan.

"Color Guard!" Ryan hissed. It wasn't hard to hear anybody since the town was in the trees and the bridges creaked often when someone stepped on them.

"Put out the fire!" Adam commanded and Travis soon had the fire out. They heard someone start to knock on the door but they found it open and came in.

"I think we can get bonus from this house!" One person said.

"Yeah...but let us explore it more," Another guard said.

They set eyes on Travis sitting in a chair and went to attack him. He sat in the middle of the room with his trumpet laying across his lap. Thomas stepped out and knocked their heads together and they both fell lifeless to the ground.

"Damn," Thomas let slip, "I didn't mean to kill them!"

"Well chop the door and make it look like a struggle. We should leave. We can head towards the lake," Adam said.

They all obeyed and wrecked Rachel's house. They made it seem like a struggle had gone on but she would have to pay to get it remodeled. Soon they were all out and heading towards the lake. Thomas stepped up to Adam.

"I don't think this is a good idea. Ryan doesn't want to go into the lake. He hates boats. It's the whole accident when at band camp break we got into the boat. It flipped and Ryan almost drowned," Thomas said.

"I'll get him into the boat. Don't worry"

"We'll see," Thomas said doubtfully as they drew closer to the lake and the sounds of the town grew farther away.


End file.
